Airplane landing device



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Dec. 30, 1930. A. c. GONZALEZ 1,786,649

AIRPLANE LANDING DEVI CE Filed April 26, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet, I5

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A C GONZALEZ AIRPLANE LANDI NG DEVI CE Filed April 26. 1928 Dec. 30, 1930.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUSTO C. 'ONZALEZ, OF RENO, NEVADA AIRPLAN E LANDING DEVICE Application led April 26, 1928. Serial No. 273,106.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F MARGH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370 0. G'. 757) This invention described herein may be showing my improved steering and landing manufactured and used by or for the Governgear as applied thereto.v ment for governmental purposes, without the Fig. 2 is' an enlarged horizontal section payment to me of any royalty thereon. through the fuselage, on the line 2--2 of Fig.

This invention pertains to landing gears, 1, parts being broken away. 55 specially adaptable to any form of flying Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the machines, particularly to those that take off line 3-3 of Fig. 1. or land on ground or solid surfaces. The Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section showing how object of this device is to condition itself in the main trusses are connected by a cross rod p. accordance with the landing ield or the dion the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and show the same 60 rection of the wind, thereby preventing the in different positions. wiping out of the-landing gears and wheels, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing the Which would cause wreckage of the airplane, landing gear braces, on the line 5-.5 of Fig. and possible injuries to the occupants, which, 3 and showingthe wheel frame `in different x5 due to uncontrollable, rigid landing gears and positions.

wheels, is a frequent occurrence. Another Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of one Object is to construct a device with movable of the main trusses, parts being shown in and controllable landing wheels, operating in section. unison and in harmony with the rudder, and Fig. 7 is a further enlarged section of the which can be operated from one position to lower end of one of the main trusses, show- 70 another the same as the front wheels of an ing how the parts are mounted, on the line automobile, instead of only directly forward, 7-7 of Fig. 6, and as in the devices now in use. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of Another object is to provide a landing gear one of the main trusses.

which may be operated either automatically The following index fully explains the 75 or under the control of a pilot', and in which characters used in the drawings: the landing wheels and rudder may be shifted 1. Fuselafe of mono lane. 28. Connectin pins. in an de sired direction by the pilot before 2. Alems. D 2S, Sprocket g the direction of the body is changed. iringin. 30. su?? sprgcker chain A still further ob]ect is to construct a de- 51 Ee$t0- 3L C0mff ames 80 6. Ruddcr. 32. Guide pulleys. Vlce of character Whlch `may be used to 7. Rudder or foot bar. 33. Rear Short sprocket take the airplane out of its hangar, or to g. yeimibshat. 34 s che?,

om earin proc e easily eer lthn Wthut the need of belng 10. Figur pcting ags upper uddershaft). Its manna y pus e a ou el s mec ng 0 11. Sprocket wheel.- 37. Squared upper end.

35 With these and other ob]ects in view, the g2. sprocket chain. gg. gericai shaft portion. 85

invention consists of certain novel features l; gftsfel' 401 iggk-i' pprmms. including lightness and cheapness in con- 15-Upiil1lgandl0wer bear- 4%- Jlrt iglg (forward). struction, and increased eiiicieiicy of the rud- 1e. sprocket wheel. 43 vertical web portion: der, that will be described in the specification fg; gfgggtt cgi' 44' Wflga l suppmmg 19. Reduced ortlon of 20. 45. Forked or side arms. 90

40 and polnted out 1n the cla'lms' 20. Main truss 46. Hinged half bearings.

Metal, preferably duralumin, is the ma- 20a. Enitarged 'ropndea botg. oitjpiwtLl moto. aniugwee. tema'l used for constructlon' The dence m 21. Upilei" rexiiicedn end of 49. Rear ear portion.

its entirety is composed of relatively few aft portion 19. 50- Pivot bolt 22. U r bearin 51. Shock absbrber. parts, as hereinbefore stated. The Scope of 23. rggieforwardispmjeetpivot boit. iig arm. ug. my invention extends to whatever. construe 24. Right. forwardly pw M Landing gear frame. 95

tions and interpretations may be defined by 25 Cuixgngim m 55. Beggi.; -p o r t i o n of or included within the terms or language of geding end 'f gm gpnfmlhll arm. pper a caring. the appelllded clams or.the dra'wlngs 26. Curved inwardLv l'pi'o- 58. Lower ball bearing.

Referringtothe drawings: jecting end of gilt 59. securing landing gm frame to fuselage. 100

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a monoplane, 27, corll'ung to.;

Heretofore all airplanes have been construeted with landing gears, the wheels being mounted in a rigid frame so that they move only in forward direction. My device is so constructed as to adapt airplane taxiing, taking off, and landing, to the surface condition of landing fields, and to the direction of the wind, thereby preventing the wiping out of the landing gear or wheels or both and wrecking the airplane and possibly causing injuries to the occupants.

These accidents are frequently caused by trying to make a landing on rough fields or in strong winds, or are due to general bad weather conditions and to the machine being mounted upon uncontrollable rigid type of landing gears and Wheels, the same being movable only directly forward.

Airplane landing gear and wheels are such that the airplane cannot be turned without applying the brake' to one wheel, raising the corresponding aileron, lowering the opposite aileron and applying left or right rudder as the case may be. I

My device enables the wheels with harmon nizing rudder and ailerons to be shifted or moved in the desired direction, precisely the same as the front wheels of an automobile before the direction of the body is changed.

My devicehas no wheel axle, each wheel being mounted and operating within two sets of bifurcated frames having an upper base, so that the whole frame constitutes a rigid triangle, which herein, and in the drawings, is called a wheel support. These wheel supports are also connected to the lower ends of main trusses, said main trusses extending through and being connected to the air foils or wings of the airplane.

The present form of my invention is shown, as applied to a monoplane of any desired form, in which the numeral 1 designates the fuselage, 2 the wings, 3 the motor, 4 the propeller, 5 the elevators, and 6 the rudder.

Referring now to Fig. 3, a foot control bar 7, which is operated by the feet of the pilot, is shown as being mounted upon the upper end of a short, vertical shaft, 8. This shaft is mounted in a lower bearing, 9, said bearing being fastened to the bottom of the fuselage and supported near its top by a bushing in the floor, 1G.

A sprocket wheel 11, is fastened to the shaft, 8, and connected to a sprocket Wheel, 13, which is keyed to a vertical shaft, 14, by means of a sprocket chain, 12.

The shaft 14, is shown as being supported in upper and lower bearings, 15, these bearings being fastened to the top and bottom of the fuselage.

Fastened near the top of the shaft, 14, is a sprocket 16, said sprocket being connected to a sprocket, 18, which is keyed to a reduced shaft, 19, through a sprocket chain, 17.

As clearly shown in Fig. 8, the shafts, 19,

are a reduction of the main trusses, 20, and are also reduced at their upper ends as at .21. The upper end portions, 21, are shown as arm, 24, is mounted on the other reduced shaft, 75

19, which is a reduction of the truss on the right side of the fuselage. These arms, 23 and 24, each have inwardly curved ends, 25 and v26, which are connected by means of a cross rod, 27. The cross rod, 27, is connected to each curved portion, 25 and 26, by pins, 28, as clearly shownin Figs. 3'and 4.

It will be seen by this construction that the pilot can through the foot bar, 7, control and operate at will the landing gear and wheels upon both sides so that they may synchronize, and function in unison with the rudder and ailerons in the event of a landing, the wheels automatically turning in the proper direction, thus avoiding possible wreck or injury to machine or occupants. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, a sprocket 29 is shown as keyed to shaft 8, said sprocket is connected to sprocket 34, keyed to the rudder shaft 35, through sprocket chains 30 and 33 and said chains are connected together by cables 31. These cables 31 pass under and over guide pulleys 32 which are mounted in brackets fastened to the bottom of the fuselage, as best shown in Figs. l and 2.

t is obvious from this construction how the rudder and landing wheels will work in perfect unison.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 6 and 7, the lower end of the main trusses 2O are enlarged or rounded at 20a, and are provided with square holes to receive the squared portions 37 of the castors 39. The main trusses and the squared portions 37 are connected by bolts 36.

Intermediate of the squared portions 37 and the main portion 39 of each castor is an integral rounded shaft portion 38 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

The castors 39 are provided with ears 40 which are adapted to receive an ear 41 of the wheel supporting frames 44 and are connected therewith by pins 42.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the wheel supporting frames 44 have integral side arms 45 between which are supported landing wheels 48. These side arms at their bottoms are provided with half hinged bearing members 46, which are fastened in their closed position by means of screw bolts 47.

By this construction it will be seen that the wheels can be easily and quickly removed and replaced in case of repairs.

At 43 in Figs. 5 and 6 are shown connecting webs, connecting the forward ears 41 and the rearward ears 49.

' be very easily The rearward ears 49 each have connected therewith the lower end of a shock absorber 51 through a bolt 50 and the said shock absorber is connected at its upper end by a bolt 52 to a lug 53 which is integral with the truss 20, thereby taking up impact and rebound at all speeds while the airplane is on the ground.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, the landing gear frames 54 are shown in the form of- V-shaped frames, but any shape frames maybe used, depending upon the size and shape of the machine to which they are to be applied.

The landing gear frames 54 are each provided with a central bearing portion 55haV- ing a central hole, 56. The central hole is for the yreception of the vertical shaft portion 38 before' referred to and said vertical shaft portion forms a bearing for the lower end of the main truss 20.

Placed above and below the central bearing portions 55 of each, landing gear frame 54 are ball bearings 57 and 58. The upper ball bearing 57 separates the lower enlarged bearing surface of the end 20a of the trusses, and

the upper bearing surface of the central bearing portion 55. The lower ball bearings 58, separate the underneath bearing surface of `the central bearing portion 55 from the upper bearing surface of the castor 39. It 'will be seen from this construction that the trusses and all of the parts connected therewith can operated by the pilot through the foot rod or automatically.

The landing gear frames are fastened to the fuselage by means of bolts or screws 59.

What I claim is 1. A device of the kind described, comprising two landing gear frames, said landing.

gear frames being connected to a fuselage, each frame being formed with a bearing portion, ,said bearing portion supporting the lower end of a revolvable truss, and said revolvable truss having pivotly mounted thereon, yieldable wheel supporting frames revolving therewith.

2. A device ofthe kind described, comprising two landing gear frames, said landing gear frames being connected to a fuselage, each frame being formed with a bearing portion, said bearing portion supporting the lower end of a revolvable truss, and each revolvable truss being pivoted at its upper end, having fastened thereto, forwardly projecting arms, the end of said projecting arms being curved inwardly and being connected together to cause each of said revolvable trusses to operate alike.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising two landing gear frames, said landing gear frames being connected to a fuselage, each frame being formed with bearing portions, said bearing portions supporting the lower ends of revolvable trusses, said revolvable trusses being pivoted at their upper ends, and one'of said trusses having means conated through mechanism from the pilot.

4. A device of the kind described, coiiiprisl ing two landing gear frames, said landing gear frames being connected to a fuselage, a rudder being mounted on the rear thereof, said rudder having means fastened thereon to cause said rudder to be operated with the wheel supporting frames, said Wheel supporting frames being connected to the lower ends lof revolvable trusses and operated through mechanism by the pilot to cause said rudder and said wheel supporting framesl to operate in unison.

5. In a machine of the character designated, the combination with a fuselage including a vertically journalled rudder shaft, a landing gear connected with the fuselage, said gear comprising a pair of parallelly arranged vertically mounted rotatable trusses, a wheel frame pivotally connected to the lower end of each truss and shock absorbing means interposed between each frame and truss; of means to effec-t simultaneous rotation of the rudder shaft and the trusses, said means comprising an arm affixed to each truss adjacent its upper end, a link connection between the arms, a foot operating mechanism within the fuselage and connections between said mechanism, the rudder shaft and said trusses.

6. A device of the character described comprising a fuselage, a landing gear frame connected with the fuselage and formed witha bearing support, a truss rotatably journalled at its upper end in the fuselage, a wheel supporting frame and an anti-friction castor type of connection between the lower end of the truss and the wheel supporting frame, the connection being through the bearing suport. p, 7. A Idevice of the character described coniprising a fuselage, a landing gear frame connected with the fuselage and being formed with a bearing support, a truss rotatably journalled at its upper end inthe fuselage, a castor, a connection between the castor and the lower end of the truss, said connection being through the bearing support and including anti-friction devices, a wheel-supporting frame pivbtally connected at its forward portion to the castor and a shock absorbing device interconnecting the rear por- 1 nections being through the bearing supports, and a shock absorbing means interposed between the rear portion of each wheel supporting frame and truss; of means to effect simultaneous rotation of the rudder shaft and the trusses, said means comprising an arm aixed to each truss adjacent its upper end, a link connection between the arms, a foot operated mechanism within the fuselage and connections between said mechanism, the rudder shaft and said trusses.

9. A machine of the character designated,

'the combination with a fuselage including a vertically journalled rudder shaft, a landing gear frame connected with the fuselage, said gear comprising a pair of parallelly arranged rotatably mounted trusses, a wheel frame pivotally connected to the lower end of each truss, shock absorbing means interposed between each frame and truss; of means to effect simultaneous rotation of the rudder shaft and the trusses, said means comprising an arm affixed to each truss and adjacent its upper end, a link connection between the arms, a foot operated mechanism within the fuselage and connections between said mechanism, the rudder shaft and said trusses.

10. A device of the character described comprising a fuselage, a landing gear frame connected with the fuselage and being formed with a bearing support, a truss rotatably journalled at its upper end in the fuselage, a castor,a connection between the castorand the lower end of the truss, said connection being through the bearing support and including an anti-friction device, a wheel-supporting frame pivotally connected at its forward portion to the castor and a yieldable connection between the rear portion of the wheel-supporting frame and said truss.

AUGUSTO C. GONZALEZ. 

